I was contacted by Rosie ADAMS (nee TURNER), who had found me by searching for 'Sebastian Hodge' on google. During the 1870s and 1880s Sebastian HODGE (1833-1889) owned and ran The Commercial Hotel on the corner of Kimg and Castlereagh Streets in Sydney, and owned a number of properties adjacent to that hotel.
Rosie wrote:
"I have been going through a suitcase of old family papers and came across a lease between Sebastian Hodge, Victualler and my grandfather Alfred Turner for a property at 140 King St Sydney. This property is in that part of King St between Elizabeth and Castlereagh Streets Sydney. The lease is dated 1/8/1888."
The lease:
Transcript
Page 1
Dated 1st August 1888, Mr Sebastian Hodge to Mr Alfred Turner, Lease of Shop No 140 King Street, Sydney
Page 2
This indenture made the first day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighty eight in pursuance of an act to facilitate the granting of Leases Between Sebastian Hodge of Sydney in the colony of New South Wales Licensed Victualler of the one part and Alfred Turner of Sydney in the colony of New South Wales Fruiterer of the other part Witnesseth that the said Sebastian Hodge Doth demise and lease unto the said Alfred Turner his executors administrators and assigns All That the shop and premises known as Number One Hundred and Forty King Street in the City of Sydney in the Colony aforesaid and now in the occupation of the said Alfred Turner From the day of the date hereof for the term of Five Years from thence and ensuing Yielding and Paying therefore during the said term the weekly rent or sum of Five Pounds payable weekly the first of such payments to commence and be made on the seventh day of August instant And the said Alfred Turner convenant with the said Sebastian Hodge To pay rent And to pay taxes And to repair That the said Sebastian Hodge may enter and view the state of repair and That the said Alfred Turner will repair according to notice And that he will leave premises in good repair Proviso for reentry by the said Sebastian Hodge on nonpayment of rent or non performance of Convenants The said Sebastian Hodge Covenants
Page 3
With the said Alfred Turner for quiet enjoyment. In witness whereof the said parties these presents have hereunto set their hands and seals the day and year first before written.-
Signed Sealed and Delivered by the said Sebastian Hodge (signed) in the presence of Robert W Lenehan (signed).
Signed Sealed and Delivered by the said Alfred Turner (signed) in the presence of George C. Dwyer (signed).
City of Sydney rate books
1882 Bourke Ward
Control: CSA027154
Record Item: 17/1/14
Ward: Bourke
Year: 1882
Page: 10
Number of Assessment Book: 184
No. of House: 136
Situation: King Street
Name of Person Rated: Sebastian Hodge
Name of Owner or Landlord of property: Mr Francis
House, Warehouse or Shop: Hotel
Brick, Stone, Wood or Iron: Brick
Slated, Shingled or otherwise: Slated
No. of Floors: 4
No. of Rooms: 27
Gross Annual Value in Pounds: £800
Control: CSA027154
Record Item: 17/1/14
Ward: Bourke
Year: 1882
Page: 10
Number of Assessment Book: 185
No. of House: 136A
Situation: King Street
Name of Person Rated: Henry Simcoe
Name of Owner or Landlord of property: Sebastian Hodge
House, Warehouse or Shop: Shop
Brick, Stone, Wood or Iron: Brick
Slated, Shingled or otherwise: Slated
No. of Floors: 1
No. of Rooms: 2
Gross Annual Value in Pounds: £78
NOTE: Sands Directory for 1883, 1885 shows Henry Simcoe to be a
watchmaker and jeweller at 136 King St
Control: CSA027154
Record Item: 17/1/14
Ward: Bourke
Year: 188
Page: 10
Number of Assessment Book: 185
No. of House: 138
Situation: King Street
Name of Person Rated: W J Weeden
Name of Owner or Landlord of property: Sebastian Hodge
House, Warehouse or Shop: Shop
Brick, Stone, Wood or Iron: Brick
Slated, Shingled or otherwise: Slated
No. of Floors: 2
No. of Rooms: 2
Gross AnnualValue in Pounds: £78
NOTE: Sands Directory for 1879, 1883 shows W.J. Weeden to be an
engraver at 138 King St
Control: CSA027154
Record Item: 17/1/14
Ward: Bourke
Year: 1882
Page: 10
Number of Assessment Book: 185
No. of House: 140
Situation: King Street
Name of Person Rated: A Turner
Name of Owner or Landlord of property: Sebastian Hodge
House, Warehouse or Shop: Shop
Brick, Stone, Wood or Iron: Brick
Slated, Shingled or otherwise: Slated
No. of Floors: 3
No. of Rooms: 3
Gross AnnualValue in Pounds: £104
NOTE: Sands Directory for 1883 shows Alfred Turner to be a fuiterer
at 140 King St
-----------
The witness to Seb's signature, LENEHAN, was is son-in-law, husband to his daughter Harriet HODGE. Sebastian lost his wife earlier in 1888, and died in 1889 (the year after this lease was signed, cause of death was "Nephritis, carbuncle" (NSW BDM 677/1889).
The name TURNER rang a bell for me, and I checked the rate books for what is now called the 'City of Sydney'. Sebastian HODGE owned four properties in a row on King St and I had transcribed these. It's nice to get a sense of what business the hotel and each store conducted. A little cluster of merchant neighbours in Sydney. Quite nice detail about the premises.
Given that Alfred Turner occupied the premises in 1882, and was signing another lease in 1888, he must have spent a considerable amount of time there.
Rosie provided the following information about Alfred TURNER and his family:
My grandfather Alfred TURNER was a book maker – a legitimate one, not an SP bookie. He was a member of the Australian Jockey Club and a billiard hall owner at one stage. I think he was quite successful in his businesses as the family lived in the City in Elizabeth St and had servants, etc. However, I know they did not fare well at some stage and moved to their country house in Canley Vale (near Liverpool, NSW). This is where my father spent most of his life before he was married. Alfred TURNER had 6 children between 1890 and 1913. Since he was born in 1850 that makes him 63 when the youngest child was born. I am the only offspring of those 6 children.
My father, George Houston TURNER was Alfred’s 4th child born in 1904 (NSW BDM 28870/1904 ) and died in 1960 (NSW BDM 17107/1960) when I was young. I really know nothing about my father’s family as I was young when he died and neither of my grandparents were alive when I was born. George Houston was named after George Houston Reid, Premier of New South Wales from 1894 to 1899 and Prime Minister in 1904 and 1905.
Anyone with more information on Alfred TURNER and family can comment through this blog to make contact.
For me, the most curious part of the lease is the last line of the lease agreement: "The said Sebastian Hodge Covenants With the said Alfred Turner for quiet enjoyment". Is this a sign of friendship between two men who have known each other for a number of years? Or a stipulation relating to noise?!
The name TURNER rang a bell for me, and I checked the rate books for what is now called the 'City of Sydney'. Sebastian HODGE owned four properties in a row on King St and I had transcribed these. It's nice to get a sense of what business the hotel and each store conducted. A little cluster of merchant neighbours in Sydney. Quite nice detail about the premises.
Given that Alfred Turner occupied the premises in 1882, and was signing another lease in 1888, he must have spent a considerable amount of time there.
Rosie provided the following information about Alfred TURNER and his family:
My grandfather Alfred TURNER was a book maker – a legitimate one, not an SP bookie. He was a member of the Australian Jockey Club and a billiard hall owner at one stage. I think he was quite successful in his businesses as the family lived in the City in Elizabeth St and had servants, etc. However, I know they did not fare well at some stage and moved to their country house in Canley Vale (near Liverpool, NSW). This is where my father spent most of his life before he was married. Alfred TURNER had 6 children between 1890 and 1913. Since he was born in 1850 that makes him 63 when the youngest child was born. I am the only offspring of those 6 children.
My father, George Houston TURNER was Alfred’s 4th child born in 1904 (NSW BDM 28870/1904 ) and died in 1960 (NSW BDM 17107/1960) when I was young. I really know nothing about my father’s family as I was young when he died and neither of my grandparents were alive when I was born. George Houston was named after George Houston Reid, Premier of New South Wales from 1894 to 1899 and Prime Minister in 1904 and 1905.
Anyone with more information on Alfred TURNER and family can comment through this blog to make contact.
For me, the most curious part of the lease is the last line of the lease agreement: "The said Sebastian Hodge Covenants With the said Alfred Turner for quiet enjoyment". Is this a sign of friendship between two men who have known each other for a number of years? Or a stipulation relating to noise?!
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